Parent resources

For children, joining a new school can be stressful and it is often easier (for children and parents) to join with other new pupils.  All secondary schools will have principal entry ages – usually 11 or 13 – but may take pupils at other ‘natural’ points related to the curriculum (such as the start of the GCSE course). Some schools will take a flexible approach at taking pupils at other ages, and some (particularly international schools) take pupils at any stage.

After GCSEs, at age 16, can be a natural point to change schools. Pupils may be struggling to meet the requirements of their present school’s sixth form, be looking for a school where they are treated more like an adult, or perhaps just feel fed up and in need of a change. It can also be a good opportunity to look for more appropriate courses (the IB or vocational A-levels). But it is not a universal panacea for everyone: the existing school will know pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and can teach them accordingly; and the disruption caused by moving schools can cut badly into short, intense sixth-form courses.